U.S. Farmers Cope with Roundup Resistant Weeds: Address the Cause not the Symptom

There was an excellent article in the New York Times yesterday that underlines the risk of addressing symptoms rather than the underlying cause when addressing problems (see http://tinyurl.com/3yw758o). Such an approach offers appealing and typically profitable short-term gains, but invariably produces long-term side-effects and costs that outweigh the initial benefits.

A biodynamic and organic farmer friend of mine argues that weeds thrive only in compromised soil. Soil that is weak, imbalanced or deficient is more vulnerable to weeds and the plants grown in such soil are more likely to be plagued with disease or pests. The fix, according to him, is to fortify and rebalance the soil, which addresses the condition at its root. Strong terrain makes the soil less vulnerable to weeds and and more likely to sustain healthy, vibrant plants.

Doctors who practice integrative medicine make the same point about the human body. Strengthen the host, the theory goes, and you will avert disease. Much of our current medical system is focused on handling the problem once it has occurred with invasive measures, much like using Roundup to kill weeds. This offers short-term and immediate results, but typically with long-term consequences.

For example, 190 million doses of antibiotics are prescribed in U.S. hospitals each day. Another 133 million courses are prescribed outside of hospitals each year. Using antibiotics in the way that farmers have relied on Roundup is creating a similar problem. Farmers now face a formidable foe: Roundup resistant weeds while doctors face a similarly challenging opponent: antibiotic resistant bacteria (MRSA). For more information on how to feed this crisis yourself, see http://tinyurl.com/2fnlyzx.

So what about the weeds you encounter in daily living? It’s worth taking note of the experience of our country’s farmers and doctors. While such mistakes are easy to see in hindsight, especially if you’re not caught up in the middle of the problem, there are things you can do now to reduce the likelihood of falling into the same self-perpetuating loop:

Strengthen the host. Make the time to nourish yourself. Get sufficient sleep. Eat simple foods. Drink clean water. Exercise in everything you do. Eschew those things in your life that clearly weaken you physically, mentally and spiritually.

Cultivate your capacity for long-term vision. Your capacity to reason needn’t be limited to short-term decision-making. Learn to iterate, to consider the possibilities of a particular approach or of a logical sequence, and be as honest and objective as possible in the process. Where will this approach likely end up?

Downplay the importance of securing immediate results. Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, a mistake oft repeated. Value is established and proven over the long-term. Be wary of quick fixes, short cuts and cure-for-alls.

Be patient with the process. Impatience, more than anything, leads to expediency. Expediency, instead of integrity, brings failure. Learn to be actively patient. A friend of mine recently landed a job that she had been working diligently to secure over time. Patience is not static, it is dynamic. Likewise, patience properly invested generates pressure. Pressure, in turn, leads to change.

Have a fruitful day, my friends, and enjoy the remaining days of spring!

6 Responses

When working with patients, I ask the question, “are you looking for something to manage your symptom OR would you like to provide your body with what it needs to eliminate the symptom once and for all?

Generally people don’t realize their body is designed to heal and the symptom is their body’s call for help. Many say, “I thought I had to live with this condition for life.

For a while now, our culture has been moving in the direction of “I am entitled to what I want, and I want it right now”, but it is becoming clear that this is not sustainable. This approach violates each of the four points that you made in your post today. With reminders like the ones you are making, I hope our society can turn back from the path we are currently walking.

The future is in our hands. Ideally long term thinking is what separates adults from children. Growing up is a personal choice but it is clear to see time is running out. My daily dose of practical wisdom. Thanks.

I witnessed a discussion about off shore oil drilling. Some had strong views in favor, while others thought wind farms were the answer. I didn’t have a view as I’m not informed enough about the subject to even guess. It was a very spirited conversation, then someone added the thought of looking at what our present energy consumption was and maybe if we looked there first we’d have a better idea of what we truly needed.

Not being very informed about the subject I still didn’t wade in but it did lead me to thinking about how we solve problems.

In this case, what was the cause of the energy crisis? Looking at our energy usage might help but then you get into not one controversy but thousands. I began to feel like it was a “Rubix cube” and as you have posted more legislation doesn’t seem to help.

It seems as we have noted, the simpler question and easiest to change is how do we live our individual lives? It seems individually and as group human beings haven’t had much practice in making decisions that lead to lasting progress.

Today’s subject and points are a good start to gain some individual expertise. Understanding the cause and starting there might require fewer solutions too.